Mazda MX-5 2.0 review – still as sharp as a surgeon’s scapel

I’d have sold a kidney for a Mazda MX-5 when I was 17 except, in those days before the dark web, I didn’t know where to start. Nowadays my budget could probably stretch to a ratty second-hand model or a PCP deal with a punishingly low mileage cap but, of course, a two-seat roadster is […]

Toyota Rav4 review

More than a little dismissively – and unfairly – the Toyota RAV4 was in its early years referred to as a hairdresser’s car. Quite what that label was down to is lost in the mists of time but was probably because it was the first of the so-called soft-roaders. It had the raised ride height […]

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross review – SUV is left in the shade

Like them or loathe them, there’s no denying that SUVs are the car of the moment. Sales of smaller models might be soaring but at the heart of the SUV world lie the mid-sized family vehicles such as the Nissan Qashqai and Seat Ateca. Every manufacturer wants a horse in this most profitable of races […]

Volvo XC40 review

Love it or loathe it, the Range Rover Evoque has over the last eight years proved that there’s a market for small but luxurious SUVs. Where it led, every premium brand has followed, with the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA among the models scrapping for a share of the rich market. Volvo, too, […]

Citroen C4 Cactus review – changes don’t blunt its je ne sais quoi

In redesigning the Cactus, Citroen have dropped – or at least massively toned down – the most distinctive thing about the car: the black plastic, door-mounted ‘airbumps’. They’d argue that they are still there, but they are lower down, smaller and altogether less obtrusive than the old ones. I’d argue that makes the car less […]

Honda CR-V hybrid review – the best of both worlds?

Honda’s CR-V has been praised over the years for many things but the economy of its petrol engines isn’t one of them, so this new model aims to address that. The 2019 model has been gently updated visually and equipment-wise but the big news is the addition of a hybrid system for the first time. […]

Lexus ES review – sitting comfortable by itself

Last year Lexus sold more than 76,000 cars in Europe. In contrast BMW sold more than 100,000 of its 5 Series alone. It is safe to say, then, that even after 30 years Lexus remains a small brand in Europe and the UK. It’s not something it seems unduly worried about, though, thanks to massive […]

Kia Ceed GT review – warm hatch to warm the heart

Last August Kia released an all-new version of its Ceed family hatchback and a Sportswagon. Now, in stage two of a three-pronged attack, the Ceed GT has been released into the wild alongside the ProCeed shooting brake. Looking to expand the worthy but ordinary Ceed’s appeal, the latest two models have a distinctly sporty brief […]

2019 Mazda3 review – head-turning hatchback raises the bar

Mention Mazda, and the iconic MX-5 will inevitably pop into your mind. But brilliant as it is, what really excites the bean counters in the accounts department is a top-selling family hatchback. Something to rival the VW Golf, or the Ford Focus. Enter then, the all-new Mazda3. Since its launch in 2003, the Mazda3 has […]

VW Polo GTI review

There are arguments all over the internet over which car brand invented the hot hatch. Everyone from Peugeot to Triumph has at some point been credited with taking something small and dull and making it quick and fun. VW is another brand that has been credited with introducing the formula. Whether it did or not, […]